Newcastle rugby: Hawks aim to send Fijian out on winning note

It was the same in his two tests for Fiji and the season he had at Toulon. You can add his time at Parramatta and Drummoyne.

And it was the first thing that Hamilton coach Scott Coleman noticed when the veteran back-rower lobbed at Passmore Oval two three years ago.

“He competes hard at everything and is such a big unit,” Coleman said.

Rokobaro, 39 in November, will play his final game in the Hawks’ grand final against Wanderers on Saturday. Pete Maxwell, who returned three weeks ago from a ruptured biceps, is also retiring.

“It is Seva’s last game and I expect him to go out in a blaze of glory,” Coleman said. “He has been enormous. He has helped change the culture and made us more professional. Sometimes I have to wind him back a bit.”

Although hanging up the boots, Coleman is confident that Rokobaro won’t be lost to the club.

“He is keen to have a talk about a coaching role,” Coleman said.

Coleman confirmed on Wednesday that Steve Lamont will play off the bench.

“It was a tough decision but the other guys have been going well,” Coleman said of his former skipper, who was man of the match in last year’s decider. “He was fine about. He knows he has been out injured and was away his brother’s wedding. He will still play a big role.”